Art of printing



J. H. SHEA ART oF PRINTING Nov. 26, 1935.

7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 5, 1929 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. H. SHEA ART 0F PRINTING Filed Oct. 3, l19,29

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Patented Nov. 26, 1935 ART F PRINTING Joseph Henry Shea, Baldwin, N. Y., assignor to Frederick Griswold, Jr., as trustee Y Application October 3, 1929, Serial No. 396,989

10 Claims.

' This invention relates broadly to the art oi printing and more particularly to a process and apparatus for backing plates or other metallic members bearing indicia by which an impression,

as in printing, may be made, and to the products of such process. By the termrplates or other metallic members bearing indicia by which an impression may be made, it is intended to cover any instrumentality bearing configurations such as illustrations, pictorial orrotherwise, or type either in the original or in reverse, as electrotypes, halftones, originals, zinc etchings, linotype, monotype, pattern plates and other indicia by which impressions may be made Whether for use in the final or an intermediate step in printing, or any other impression making art. Inasmuch as the plates will find their greater usefulness in connection with printing, the invention will be described in connection with that art. Y

Heretofore, electrotypes have been prepared for use in printing by providing the plate with a flange about its periphery and securing the plate to a Wooden block by means of nails driven through the ange into the Wood. In useafter many impressions have been run oi from the electrotype, the nails Work loose and sometimes pull part way out of the block so that the heads of the nails are in or above the plane of the etched face of the plate and receive ink during the inking of the plate and form blurs on the paper when subsequent impressions are made. This method of securing the electrotype to the Wood block has the further disadvantage that the Wooden block must be made oversize by reason of the marginal securing flange, thus forming, in printing, a blank space around the impression since the type cannot be set close to the subject matter depicted on the plate because of the nange.

It is an object of the present invention to improve the m'ethod of securing the etched plate to the Wooden block and thus avoid the requirement of a marginal ange, thereby reducing the size of the block and doing away With the blank space about the impression. f A In accordance with this aspect of the invention,there is provided a Wooden block which may be of exactly the same size as the etched matter 0n the plate. To one face of this Wooden block there is secured a sheet or plate adhesive to solder, preferably of copper, as by nails, conveniently double headed, passing through the plate into the Wood. To this metal plate the etched plate is secured by an adhesive, as by solder, preferably by interposing tin foil between the etched plate and the plate secured to the wood block and (01; lill-401.1)

subjecting the assembled plates to heat and pressure.

The invention also has to do with a method of securing inserts. or patches or corrections, as they are sometimes called, vin an electrotype. 5 Heretofore, When it has been desired to correct a portion of an electrotype, that portion to be corrected has been cut out of the electrotype and a new etched plate portion bearing the subject matter to be substituted, of substantially the same shape and size as the cut-out portion, has been inserted and soldered to the original plate at points around the edges; This has usually been accomplished by laying the electrotype face downward on .a suitable flat surface and applying the solder to the joints on the back si-de of the plate by running a stick of solder and a soldering iron over the same in the usual method of soldering. In printing, there is a certain degree of flexing of the electrotype when impressions are being made and after a number of impressions have been made, the soldered joints break, necessitating acessation of printing While the electrotype is returned to the bench to have the joints resoldered. When one of more inserts occur in the same electrotype, a day`or more may be required each time the joints must be resoldered, thus increasing the expense of printing materially, A

It is also an object of this invention to provide an electrotype in which corrections may be inserted which will vwithstand thestresses and strains set up by the flexing of the electrotype during printing and in which corrections may be made with a minimum of time and effort and which, after once being made, Will not Work loose and require resoldering.

In accordance with this aspect of the invention, the electrotype is backed by a sheet or plate of metal to which both plate and insert may be secured over its entire surface. Thus matter inserted in a cut-out portion is rmly secured to the backing plate and an integral corrected electrotype is formed. More particularly, the electrotype with the inserts in place, is superimposed upon a backing plate of the same size, with, say,

tin foil therebetween, and the Whole subjected to heat and pressure, thereby fusing the tin foil and forming a solid composite structure which will resist all strains and stresses and can be used for ,any number of impressions Without the insert Working loose. f

In the manufacture of electrotypes for the printing of books, magazines and the like it is the practice to rst set up the printed matter on a linotype machine. The linotypes assembled in consecutive order are then blocked up into chases and taken to the foundry where a wax matrix is formed by pressing the type face downward into a sheet of wax by a hydraulic molding press. After this molding operation the matrix goes to the bench for building up; that is, filling all the low spots by running a hot iron and a bar of wax over the low spots. From this bench the Wax matrix is taken to another location where the wax impression is cleaned with a camels hair brush and iron filings dusted over it. It is then suitably connected to a source of electric current and suspended in an electrotype bath for approximately two hours time until a copper shell has been deposited in the depressions in the matrix in which impression it is held by means of the iron filings. This copper shell has the same configuration as the original block of linotype. This electroplated impression or electrotype shell is then taken to the backing-up room where tin foil is laid over the concave surface of the shell and ladles of molten metal poured thereinto to form a backing for the copper shell. Thereafter the back is planed by a roughing Vmachine and after that an electrotype inisher, as he is called, rubs over the face of the electrotype with a rubber roller to locate any low spots, and then hammers the plate until the front face of the type lies in the same plane so that impressions may be printed therefrom.

It is still another object vof the invention to eliminate practically all of the steps herebefore described and to utilize, directly, the type as it issues from a linotype or a monotype machine for the printing of impressions. To this end, type, either linotype or monotype, of proper height is soldered directly to a backing sheet to form the plate taking the place of the electrotype from which impressions are made in the printing of the book or magazine pages. More particularly, the type, either linotype or monotype, is arranged in proper sequence in a frame upon a backing plate with tin foil or other adhesive forming material therebetween and the whole united by subjection to heat and pressure to produce the desired plate from which the impressions are made. If desired, the type face of the plate may be copper plated to withstand hard usage.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a method whereby the electrotypes as heretofore described and other indicia bearing plates may be expeditiously manufactured. To this end, a heated platen may be placed upon the assembled electrotype and backing sheet, causing the tin foil to melt and, when pressure is applied, run evenly over the entire interior surfaces, after which the assembly may be quenched and the integral electrotype results. If desired, a second heated platen may be placed beneath the backing sheet in carrying out the method.

The invention also seeks apparatus by which the aforesaid method may be carried out. To this end, apparatus which consists, preferably, of upper and lower platens, conveniently hinged together, are adapted to be heated, as desired, to a predetermined temperature. Upon the bottom platen is then placed, for example, the lower sheet or backing plate and upon its upper face one or mo-re sheets of tin foil are then disposed and the electrotype placed thereupon face upwardly. The upper platen may then be closed down upon the electrotype and the two platens clamped together. After a suitable interval of time to allow for a heat transfer from the platens to the work during the pressure, the work is cooled as by quenching in a tank and upon opening the platens, the reenforced or backed electrotype will be found to be an integral structure capable of withstanding the hardest usage. 5

These and other objects of the invention and the means for their attainment will be more apparent from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, illustrating means by which the inven- 10 tion may be realized, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view showing, in front elevation, apparatus whereby electrotypes, and other metallic members from which impressions may be made, may be backed in accordance with the present 15 invention, parts being broken away in the interest of clearness.

Figure 2 is an end view of the apparatus, looking from the left in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view showing, in plan, a fragmen- 20 tary part of the apparatus at the left hand side of Figure l and illustrating particularly the platens whereby heat and pressure is applied to the metallic members from which impressions are made, a corrected electrotype being indicated be- 2d tween the platens.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken in the plane indicated by line 4 4 of Figure 3, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view, taken 391 in the plane indicated by line 5--5 of Figure 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view showing a valve adapted to supply combustible fuel to the burners v used to heat the platens, which valve is adapted 3&- tc be automatically opened when the platens are separated to receive the assembled elements which are to be united to form the metallic members from which impressions are made.

Figure '7 is a view in vertical longitudinal sec- 4'0- tion, taken in the plane indicated by the line 1--1 in Figure 3 and showing the method by which corrections or patches are inserted in electrotypes.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 but show- 495v ing the apparatus applied to the backing of an electrotype With a wood block.

Figure 9 is a plan view of a fragment of an electrotype backed by a wood block, parts being removed in the interest of clearness. 50

Figure l0 is a View in side elevation showing a linotype slug as it comes from the linotype machines as now constituted.

Figure 11 shows a similar linotype slug which has been reduced in height, it being cut off along 55 the dot and dash line indicated in Figure l0, or which linotype slug of reduced height has been produced by a modified linotype machine.

Figure 12 shows a plurality of linotype slugs set 4 within a frame and mounted upon a backing plate 60 preparatory to being formed into a unitary plate from which impressions may be made in printing.

Figure 13 shows the assembly of Figure 12 disposed between platens, one of which, at least, is heated, in carrying out the. method of manufac- 65' ture of the printing plate in accordance with this invention.

Figure 14 is a fragmentary view, taken in the transverse vertical plane indicated by the line m-la of Figure 12 and looking in the direction 70l of the arrows.

Figure l5 is a view, in. transverse vertical section, showing the finished printingv plate made as shown in Figure 12.

Figure 16 is a View similar to Figure 10 but 75 showing a plurality of mono-type as delivered from a monotype machine.

V Figure 17 shows the monotypeV of Figure 16 held within a clamp in accordance with this invention and cut oif to a predetermined height for use in accordance with this invention.

Figure 18 is a View similar to Figure 12 but showing monotype within the frame.

Figure 19 is a viewv similar to Figure 13 but lshowing the method applied to monotype.

Figures 8 and 9, a wooden block is shown at 20,

intoone face of which double headed nails 2| are driven, having one end 22 protruding slightly above the face of the wooden block; Upon this face of the wooden block 20, and the nail ends 22 protruding therefrom, there is placed a sheet of metal 24 which is adhesive to solder, preferably a copper sheet, which sheet or plate 24 is permanently secured to the wood block 20 by means of the said double headed nails 2|, 22 in a manner well understood. The sheet 25 represents the plate upon which the desired indicia appears and from which impressions are to be made in printing and which is to be secured to the wooden block 20. Between the copper plates 24 and 25 there is placed one-or more sheets of tin foil 26 or other adhesive, together with an appropriate flux such as acid, as will be understood, and these parts 24, 25, juxtaposed as shown, are then heated until thesolder 26 melts and pressed together until the solder adheres to the bottom surface of the top plate 25 and the top surface of the bottom plate 24. The whole is then quickly cooled as by quenching in water, when the plate 25 will be found to be rmly and permanently secured to the Wood block 20.

Preferably, this heating and compression is accomplished by assembling the wooden block 20 faced with say the copper sheet 24 and the etched plate 25 and interposed tin foil 26, as shown in Figure 8,'upon a platen 30 or other at supportingsurface. Preferably a sheet of tissue paper 21 is placed over the etched surface of the plate 26 to protect it. A heated platen 3| is placed on top of the tissue 21, pressurey is applied until the tin foil is melted and the two copper sheets adhere together by reason of the melted film ofsolder and then the electrotype may be quickly quenched and the backed electrotype is ready for use.

It will thus be seen that no circumferential flange is necessary, as heretofore, to secure the etched plate or electrotype 25 to the Wooden block 20 and thus the etched indicia may extend to the very perimeter of the plate 25 and when set up for printing, type may be placed in close proximity to the etched indicia and no space is Wasted. Furthermore the electrotype 25 is permanently secured to the wood block 20 and will not work loose in use no matter how many impressions are made therefrom.

The invention is also applicable where an electrotype is to be repaired, i. e., parts thereof replaced by new matter. That part of the electrotype not desired is cut out and new matter etched or otherwise formed on a sheet or plateY of substantially-the same size as that portion which has been removed and inserted in the cut out portion of the electrotype.V Such substituted portion will `be referred to, for the sake of convenience, as an insert or correction. Referring to Figures 3 and 5 7, the sheet |25 may represent an electrotype etched on its upper face and parts thereof, such as at |23, are corrected by having the original matter cut out and new etched sections inserted therein. The parts to be removed or corrected are 10 cut out and the corrected matter in the form of a piece of copper plate |23 of the same shape and size as the parts cut out and containing, upon its upper face, the indicia to be substituted, is inserted in the holes out in the original electrotype. 15 The mutilated original electrotype with the inserts in place are formed into an integral plate by being secured throughout to a backing plate as now to be described. First a sheet say, of copper |24 is placed, preferably, upon a bottom plat- 20 en 30. Upon this plate |24 is laid one or more sheets of tin foil |26, the surfaces suitably treated with a flux, and the electrotype |25 from which the partsA have been cut out is laid thereupon, face upwardly, and the corrected matter |23 inserted 25 in the holes which have been out out. Upon the face of the electrotype may be placed a sheet of tissue paper |21, as before, to protect the etched surface from the top plate 3| which is now superimposed. The two platens 30 and 3| are 30 clamped together so as to subject the sheets there-L between to pressure. These platens 30, 3| are preferably first heated to a predeterminedtemperature and Va heat transfer occurs while the platens 30 and 3| are clamped together which 35 causes the tin foil |26 to melt and the corrected electrotype` |25, |23, and the backing sheet of copper |24 to be formed into a unitary structure. The entire clamped unit is thenrquickly cooled as by quenching in water or other cool- 40 ing fluid so that the solder is cooled and unites the two plates rigidly and solidly together, and the electrotype may then be removed as a unit.

This improved electrotype |24, |26 has the advantage, among others, over those at present 45 in use by reason of the fact that the solder not only finds its way between the joints, but secures the entire bottom surface of the electrotype, both original part |25 and inserts |23, to the backing sheet |24 and thus when the impressions are 50 made in printing any iiexing ofthe plate will not serve to break loose any of the corrections |23 and render it necessary to make repairs.

The invention is also applicable in the manufacture of plates from which pages of books and 55 magazines may be printed involving the direct use Vof linotype or monotype slugs as they come from a standard or modied linotype or monotype machine.

Figure 10 shows a slug 200 such as produced by 60 a linotype machine having the indicia or type 20| on its upper face. The slug as produced by the present linotype machine is too high and it is proposed to cut the slug off along the dot and dash line shown at 202 in Figure l0 to produce 65 a slug 203 as shown in Figure l1. Obviously, the linotype machine may be modified to produce directly the slug 203 of less height such as shown in Figure 11. A plurality of these slugs 203 are then set up in proper sequence on a galley, as is 70. the usual practice, and from the galley they are slid, in accordance with this invention, on to one or more sheets of tin foil 204, suitably treated with acid, lyingupon a backing plate 205, prefer-f ably ofv lead or tin, and at any rate adherent to 735.

solder. Instead of placing the assembled slugs of linotype in a chase as heretofore practiced, the slugs are held in position by means of strips 206 of fusible metal, such as lead, which form,v

in effect, a frame about the assembled linotype slugs, and are tacked in position to the backing plate as shown at 201.

The assembled linotype slugs 203 and backing plate 205 may then be placed between platens and 3| as shown in Figure 13, with suitable sheets of tissue paper 208 between the face of the type 20| and the top platen 2|. In this instance, only the bottom platen 30 need be heated. These platens 30, 3l are drawn together as heretofore described to apply pressure while a. heat transfer is taking place, and after a predetermined period of heating are cooled or quenched. The heat causes' the solder to melt and the pressure causes the permanent adherence of the linotype slugs 203 to` each other and to the backing sheet 205, the framing strips also adhering to the backing sheet and slugs, and forming, in effect, a unitary mass in the form of a plate having type formed in its upper face as shown in Figure 15. This plate may then be routed out as at 209 and bevelled as shown at 2|0 in Figure 15 and, if desired, may be copper plated by electrolysis to withstand excessive wear.

It will thus be seen that all of the steps of molding and working on the electrotypes as now practiced are eliminated while the equivalent of the electrotype as now used is produced.

Monotype may similarly be used in the production of a printing plate. Figure 16 shows a plurality of monotype 220, each bearing a character 22|, as delivered in proper sequence upon a galley by a standard monotype machine. These monotype slugs 225 are again too high and must either be cut off along the dot and dash line 222 or produced of a reduced height as at 223 by a modified monotype machine. In order to reduce their height, the standard monotype slugs 220 may be gripped by a suitable adjustable clamp 225 (Figure 17) and the entire row cut to size by The monotype slugs 223, assembled in proper sequence on a galley, are slid off onto one or more sheets of tin foil 22E, treated with suitable ux, which sheets 226 are disposed upon a backing plate 227 of, say, lead or tin and secured in assembled relation as by the lead cleats 228 tacked on at 229 to the backing plate. As before, the assembly 222221-228, is disposed between the platens 35, 3| with tissue paperv 224 or other suitable shielding material over the type face f bottom platens, 30 and 3| respectively, are shown as forming what has been termed a carriage mounted upon wheels and hinged together as at 4|, (Figure 2). To receive the work, the top platen 3| is folded back to the dotted line position shown in Figure 2, and either the top or bottom platen or both platens are heated as desired. After the platen or platens are heated to the desired degree, the work indicated generally at E is placed upon the bottom platen 30, the top platen 3l closed down and the platens clamped together. After a predetermined period of time during which the work E is subjected to heat and pressure, the carriage may be pushed quickly down into the bath I4 and there cooled, whereafter it may be removed, as by the handles 5B, 5

opened and the work E, now a solid metallic member, removed.

The top and bottom platens 3|, 30 are preferably rectangular in form, the bottom platen 30 being formed -near each of its corners with a de- 10 zontal bore 52 and locked in position by means of the lock nut 53. On the top of the spindle 5| is mounted, in spaced relation, a pair of ears 54 forming the outside elements of the hinge and receiving the hinge pin il. On this hinge pin 4| 25 is pivotally mounted the other hinge member 55 formed as an ear on the upper platen 3|.

On the end opposite the hinge, the top platen 3| is shown as provided with a handle of any convenient kind such as a U-shaped handle 56 30' for convenient grasp of the hand in opening and closing the platens and removing the carriage from the tank 43. On the longer sides of the platens are the clamp members by which pressure is applied to the work E. In this instance, 35 two clamps are shown on each side. Protruding from the bottom platen 30, in spaced relation, are lugs 5! formed with threaded vertical apertures receiving upwardly extending bolts 6| secured in the apertures by means of the nuts 62 4f() above and below the lugs 60. The upper platen 3| is provided with spaced or slotted lugs 64, or clamp abutments which, when the platens are in closed position, extend upon opposite sides respectively of the bolts 6| and these abutments 45 6G are screwed home to tighten the clamp by 50' means of any suitable wrench, such as the socket wrench 68 shown in Figure 5 of the drawings.

The two clamping platens 30, 3|, hinged together, form a sort of carriage, the flanged wheels 40 of which rest upon tracks 45 one'end of each 55 of which is carried by one vertic-al standard or end frame member '10 of the machine. These tracks 45 extend first in the horizontal direction, as shown at the left hand end of Figure 1 to support the carriage at loading position, and

then enter an opening 'Il in one wall of the quenching tank 43, after which the tracks bend downwardly, as Iat 72, to a second horizontal position 'I3 in the bottom of the 'tank 43 so that the carriage 3i), 3| entering the tank 43 through 65 the opening 7| travels down the tracks to the quenching position below the surface of the liquid 14 in the tank. To maintain the liquid in the tank at the proper quenching temperature it may be replenished through the valve controlled 70` easily removed, when necessary. The tank may be supported on brackets 18 'carried Vwith one frame member 10 and 4on a suitable seat 'formed on the other frame member 80, the two fr-ameV members being, in the illustrated embodiment, secured together by tie rods 8| passing therebetween. Extending outwardly from the end frame member 10 and in a direction opposite to that of Fthe tank 43, brackets 82 support the tracks 45 and between the brackets 82 and suitably'supported thereby are the fuel burners 83 adapted to heat the bottom platen 30, Also car-' ried with the frame member 18 is a bracket 84 extending rearwardly of the tracks 45 .or at right angles thereto as shown in Figure 2. This bracketis supported at its outer end upon a post 85 and is formed at the top with va Ystop 86 upon which the-upperv platen 3| rests when in open position. l

The bracket 84 also carries a manifold 81 provided with a plurality of burners 88 adapted to heat the upper platen 3| when in the dotted line position of Figure 2, which manifold communicates with the main fuel feed ypipe 89 leading to the manifold 90r supplying the burners 83. The main feed pipe 89 is controlled by a vvalve 93 carried with the bracket 84 and shown in detail in Figure 6. Obviously, however, `vmeans other than fuel burners may be used Yto heat the platens.

The fuel control valve 93 is normally closed on its seat 94 by means of the spring 95 and the valve stem 96 extends upwardly out of the valve casing 91 and terminates in a bearing member 98 adapted to be engaged Vby an ear 99 on the upper platen when in the dotted line position sho-wn in Figure 2. Thus when the carriage is out of the tank onthe tracks at what is called charging position and the upper platen 3| thrown back, as shown in Figure 2, that platen rests upon the valve stem 96 causing the valve 93 to open and permitting gas, say, to pass through the main feed pipe 89 to the burners, where it is ignited from a pilot, not shown, to heat the platens. The stop 85 takes the full weight of the platen 3| after the valve 93 is open.

In operation, the carriage 30, 3| is rstplaced upon the tracks 45 outside of the tank 43, as shown in full lines in Figure 1, at what is called the loading or charging position, the nuts 66 being unscrewed and the clamping members 85 removed from the bolts 6| and the top platen 3| thrown back about its hinged connection 4| to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 where it rests upon and depresses the valve stem 96 thereby opening the Valve 93 and permitting gas to flow to the burners 83 and 88. After opening the valve, and in order to relieve the valve mechanism of shock, the weight of the top platen 3| is carried on the stop 85. After the platens 30 and 3| are heated sufliciently, the work E which may have been assembled at a remo-te point, is placed upon the lower platen 30 and the top platen 3| closed thereover. Preferably the top platen 3| is heated to approximately 400 F. while the lower platen is heated to between 400 F. and 450 F.

The work E is assembled for positioning upon the bottom platen 30 as follows: Using a corrected electrotype as an example, there is first laid on platen 30 -a sheet of copper or other metal adhesive to solder forming the backing plate of the electrotype. Upon this is laid one or more sheets of tin foil tre-ated as will be understood with acid upon both `sides and the corrected electrotype is placed on top of the tin foil. Preferably, a sheet of tissue paper is placed upon the top of the electrotype to protect the etched face thereof and the top platen 3| is then folded down on top of the work and clamped in position' by means of the clamps previously described. After a lapse of sufficient time to permit the Vwork to be thoroughly heated by a heat interchange with the platens a-nd the tin foil melted whereby a solder is formed which will unite the two plates, the carriage is pushed through the l0 and the two plates firmly united thereby, the 15v carriage may be pulled back up the tracks to loading position, the platens opened and the work removed', where it is ready for use. Obviously the track may be made rto accommodate more than one carriage with appropriate sets of burn- 20- ers to heat the platens.

vWhere the electrotype is to be mounted upon a wooden block, as illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, the bottom platen\30 is not heated since the `wood rests directly thereon. To this end, a valve |05 25 is shown leading to the burners 83 under the bottom platen 30 which may be closed to shut off these burners from automatic operation by the control valve 93, Otherwise, the method of opieration for electrotypes to `be mounted upon 30 Wooden blocksA is the saine as that previously described for the corrected electrotypes. Similarly where linotype or monotype slugs are used and only the bottom platen is heated, the fiow of fuel to the burners 58 heating the top platen 35 3| may be cut off by the normally operablev valve |06.

It will thus be seen that a method and apparatus has been provided whereby metallic members bearing indicia may be mounted in a rigid 40 and durable manner thus enabling new and improvided results to be obtained.

Various modifications will occur to those skilled in the art in the type of machine used to carry out the method ofr this invention in its broadest 45A aspects as Well as in the various applications of the method to different purposes and the products of such method and no limitation is intended by the phraseology of vthe foregoing specification or illustrations in the accompanying 50 drawings except as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:-

1. A corrected electrotype comprising an etched plate having an opening, an insert in said open- 5 ing and a backing plate, said etched plate and insert being soldered over their entire surface to the backing plate. Y

2. The method of manufacturing a plate from which impressions may be made comprising provding a backing plate adhesive to solder, placing a sheet of tin foil thereupon, assembling a plurality of slugs bearing indicia on one surface upon the tin foil, securing fusible metal strips to the backing plates and thereby framing the slugsand applying heat and pressure to the assembly.

3. The method of manufacturing an intermediate product in the manufacture of a plate from which impressions may be made comprising superimposing a sheet of tin foil upon a backing plate adhesive to solder, superimposing upon the tin foil a plurality of slugs bearing indicia on one surface and securing fusible metal strips to the backing plates to frame the slugs and'applying heat thereto.

4. The method of making an electrotype com-` prising superimposing a sheet of tin foil upo-n a metal vplate and superimposing a metal plate bearing indicia upon the tin foil, applying heatl to a pair of metal platens having predetermined heat carrying capacities and4 thereby raising the temperatures of the platens to predetermined amounts, respectively, interposing said plates so superimposed between the platens, drawing said platens together to apply a predetermined clamping pressure to said superimposed plates and then cooling the assembly when clamped together.

5. The method of making an electrotype comprising superimposing a sheet of tin foil upon a metal plate and superimposing a metal plate bearing indicia upon the tin foil, applying heat to a pair of metal platens having predetermined heat carrying capacities and thereby raising the temperatures of the platens to predetermined amounts, respectively, interposing said plates so superimposed between the platens, drawing said platens together to apply a predetermined clamping pressure to said superimposed plates and then suddenly cooling the assembly when clamped together.

6. The method of making an electrotype comprising supcrimposing a sheet of tin foil upon a metal plate and superimposing a metal plate bearing indicia upon the tin foil, applying heat to a pair of metal platens having predetermined heat carrying capacities and thereby raising the tern-` peratures of the platens to predetermined amounts, respectively, interposing said plates so superimposed between the platens, drawing said platens together to apply a predetermined clamping pressure to said superimposed plates and then suddenly cooling the assembly when clamped together by quenching.

'7. The method of making an electrotype come prising superimposing a sheet, of tin foil upon a metal plate and superimposing a metal plate bearing indicia upon the tin` foil, applying heat to at least one of a pair of metal platens` having predetermined heat carrying capacities whereby the platens have predetermined temperatures, interposing said plates so superimposed between the platens, drawing said platens together to apply a predetermined clamping pressure to said 5 superimposed plates and then cooling the assembly When clamped together.

8. The method of making an electrotype comprising superimposing a sheet of tin foil upon a metal plate and superimposing a metal plate 10, -bearing indicial upon the tin foil, applying heat heated platen. 20,`

9. The method of securing an insert in a plate which consists in superimposing tin foil upon a backing plate, superimposing an etched plate with the insert disposed in a cut-out portion therein upon the tin foil, applying heat to a pair of metal `platens having predetermined heat carrying capacities and thereby raising the temperatures of the platens to predetermined amounts, respectively, interposing said plates so superimposed between the platens, drawing said platens together to apply a predetermined clamping pressure to said superimposed plates and then cooling the assembly when clamped together.

l0. The method of making an electrotype comprising superimposing a sheet of tin foil upon a metal plate and superimposing a metal plate bearing indicia upon the tin foil, applying heat in predetermined amounts to opposite facesV of said metal plates While simultaneously applying a predetermined pressure to remote faces of said superimposed plate and then cooling the assembly while still maintaining the same under pressure.

JOSEPH HENRY SHEA. 4g. 

